HAMILTON — Local organizations that rely heavily on school buildings to host their events and activities may get an unexpected break from the Hamilton Township School Board, as school officials decided this week they may even lower fees for some groups.

“We were thinking about raising the fees. Now we’re thinking about lowering them,” board member Ron Tola said, after a public discussion during which the board came to realize how difficult it would be for some organizations to pay for the extra costs.

The change of heart came during Wednesday night’s school board meeting, where the resolution that would increase the fees was set to undergo a second reading, which would make it eligible for a vote by the board.

However, concerns were raised by several residents, which sparked a debate between the board members and their ultimate decision to review the resolution.

Specifically, the board said they would reconsider the costs imposed on organizations that use indoor facilities on multiple occasions.

Among the opponents to the plan was Joe Mastropolo, executive director of the youth athletic organization Hamilton Police Athletic League.

“There’s no way the organization could pay for higher fees,” he said. “It would bankrupt us.”

He explained that PAL was already run by a group of volunteers and that any extra costs would therefore be directly reflected in the sign-up fees for children. A hike in the building usage fees could bring a $65 annual membership for the basketball program up to over $300 per child, he said.

Other residents expressed that the PAL programs should be open to as many kids as possible, as they provide a place for kids to grow, learn and escape any problems they may be having. Imposing such high costs to join a team for a season wasn’t fair, they said.

“We all make mistakes, and it seems pretty clear to me this board is making a mistake,” resident George Fisher said of the resolution. “You’re being penny wise and pound-foolish. You’re trying to get blood out of a stone, and the stone here is the community.”

Current fees for an organization like Hamilton PAL run as high as $700 per night to rent a school’s pool, $100 per event to rent an athletic field, $300 per event for the gym, auditorium and cafeteria and $150 per event using a classroom or library, according to the policy.

Hourly payment for a custodian runs from $42 to $63. Other organizations may pay more or less than that, due to a tiered fee system.

It was unclear how much higher the costs would become if the resolution were to have passed.

When asked for specific numbers, Tola responded that the board was in the process of coming up with the fairest numbers possible.

“When we did it, we didn’t understand the extensive amount the organizations would have to pay,” he said of the resolution.

According to Tola, the charges are meant to pay for electricity and utilities along with offsetting the cost of any damage done during the events.

By using fee money toward those costs, he said, more money could be put toward the classroom.

“We’re trying to direct as much money as possible to the classroom, but also be sensitive to nonprofits that benefit the Hamilton school children,” he said.